I woke up the next morning to the sound of knocking, they were quick little knocks, barely audible, but still loud enough to wake me up. I reluctantly got up, quickly sloshed out of my clothes and put on new ones – just a pair of jeans and a plain dress shirt, and turned my attention to the door.

“Tis some visitor,” I muttered, “tapping at my chamber door; only this, and nothing more.”

Apparently Kelley heard me, because she replied, “Open up, Mr. Poe, it's your sweet Lanore!”

Here I opened wide the door, but instead of darkness there, a little ball of sunshine wearing a checkered skirt and low cut t-shirt greeted me.

“A fan of Poe, I presume?” asked Kelley as she made herself into the room.

“I love his work, absolutely mesmerizing.” I said, shaking her outstretched hand. “I've always had a thing for the dark and macabre.”

“Same here! I'm surprised that you're into literature, with being a scientist before this and all. I mean, a lot of people think that the two subjects are polar opposites, and no scientist would ever touch a book that's not all scientificy and what not, but those are just stereotypes, and although I tell myself all the time to avoid stereotypes, I still get into the habit of using them. Oh, but it's a pleasant surprise, Frank, I was an English Major before SIDNA, and there's few people who can talk about a good classic nowadays.” the smile on Kelley's face seemed to have grown exponentially, her little face barely able to contain the expression.

“I know the feeling.” I said, feeling a smile start to grow on my own face.

“Oh right, I'm so sorry about yesterday, I was busy with some security issue, it's probably one of the interns messing around with the system; why, I was an absolute mess when I first started here, and it's quite a common thing at that! Oh, but that doesn't mean that you will be! I mean, it's not that your work is any easier, what I mean is that-”

“I know what you're saying, Kelley.” I said with a laugh, it was impossible to not laugh when talking with her, it was like her happiness was contagious, “Now what was that you said about coffee? I, for one, am in dire need of one.”

“Oh right, if you would follow me, Mr. Poe, I'll take you to a great place! And don't worry, I wont be checking the floor boards for dead bodies or beating hearts either!” I was starting to like Kelley more and more.

We chatted about literature and what not for the entire 20 minutes or so that it took us to get to the coffee shop Kelley mentioned earlier, aptly named “Ye Olde Coffee”. The interior of the place was really cozy, almost like a mountain chalet, with the entire thing made out of timber. It had a big warm fireplace at one end and little wooden coffee tables and comfy looking chairs littering the space, topped off with big logs that made up the counter where the servers were. The place was oddly quiet, with just two more customers by the fireplace, happily drinking from their cups and making small talk, and the ambient jazz that was played in the background was beautiful.

Kelley ordered a hot chocolate, while I got a huge cup of coffee, topped off with whipped cream and a mint flavour shot (the whipped cream and flavour shot was something that I never get with coffee, I found it too costly for what it's worth, but seeing as how I'm not actually spending my own money, I'm all for caking on the expensive toppings!). We brought out mugs over to a table besides the window and made ourselves comfortable.

“You know what?” I said wigging around in the seat, “I'm really starting to like this here SIDNA, I gotta hand it to Ms. Fortune for taking care of the place. Although she should probably hire more librarians, I don't see how one guy can manage such a huge place by himself.”

“What do you mean? Our library's pretty well staffed.” Kelley said curiously, “If I recall our we have 50 full time staff members, and more volunteers to boot, are you sure you didn't go to maybe a locally owned library?”

“No... I'm pretty sure it was the main library, unless you guys have one bigger than that place.” My eyebrows shot up in confusion, “Uh, the head librarian's name was Atticus, he's old, got the big white beard, spectacles and everything; seemed like a real nice guy.”

“I'm almost positive that our head librarian's still Brain, and he certainly doesn't fit that description! He might have retired... I'm not too sure though, I might have forgotten.” Kelley answered, taking a sip of her hot chocolate and looking a little puzzled, “Oh, and before I forget, what was it that you wanted to ask me?”

“Oh right!” I had almost completely forgotten why I was here in the first place, lost in all the talk about various authors and works of literature with Kelley. My smile quickly faded as I said, “I saw the weirdest thing on TV yesterday, according to the news – and my own mother – it appears that I'm dead. Suicide it seems, shot in the head by my own hands. Apparently, there was absolutely nothing else your people could think up of than my death!” I could hear my own voice rising, “Do you even understand that? I'm sure you guys all know the health condition of my mom, since you seem to know everything about me, I'm sure you realize that she's had a weak heart, I'm sure you know about the state she's in ever since my brother died. How do you think she'll react now? Care to explain?”

At that point I was shouting, I didn't mean to do any of that, and I wasn't even that angry. I didn't understand why I reacted that way, but it felt oddly... good. Like I was relieving all of that pent up stress, and focusing it on one target. I felt like I had to blame someone for all the trouble I've faced lately, and Kelley was the first thing that came to mind.

Kelley's face turned two shades darker and her smile faded, “Oh gosh, they never told you, did they? Oh my god, I'm so sorry Frank, I really am, It's just that- I thought that- I thought Ms. Fortune told you everything... It's usually not like this, but you were a special case, they had to make sure that your life on the surface was removed, and, and I tried to see if there was a better way, but given your situation, how you were fired from work and whatnot... I thought you knew...” Her face was absolutely pale, and there wasn't a single spark of her usual flare left.

“What do you mean you thought she'd have told me? She hasn't told me shit all! And you think it's ok to just erase someone's life without their permission? You ever think about how that person feels, to have their whole fucking life taken away from them? Do you even think at all?”

“I'm sorry Frank... I... I didn't...”

“You didn't do anything, that's what you did!” I shouted, furious, “You didn't care about what happened to me. Fuck, you're only here because Sarah told you to, so stop pretending to be sorry about it. You've already stripped me of my freedom, I'm going to be stuck at SIDNA for the rest of my life because you've already killed me!”

Before I could continue Kelley burst into tears.

What was I doing!? I get invited to coffee by the first decent, intelligent girl in months and the first thing I say made her cry. Smooth, Frank, smooth. And now everyone in the room was looking at us, I could feel their cold stares stab into my back. They were probably thinking that I was this huge asshole, picking on the little 5'2 ball of joy. Or what's left of it.

“No, Kelley, I didn't mean-” I was cut off again.

“I really did my best to find a better solution,” she was sobbing now, looking down on the table as if meeting my eyes would end the world; I saw a couple of tear drops fall into her hot chocolate, dispersing the now flat foam, “I tried, Frank, I tried, but they wont listen to me. It's all up to the higher ups. They couldn't afford to lose you, you were- you were special, Frank. I don't know why, but they had to make sure that you had nothing left to go back to, on the surface. It was the only way to keep you here. It wasn't fair, I know it wasn't fair. And, and I tried... you have to believe me. I thought you knew that, so I tried to cheer you up. I even bought you those cream puffs, thinking that they would help, but how could they? I mean, we practically kidnapped you! Did I really think cream puffs would make everything ok? I'm such an idiot! I know we ruined your life, Frank, there's no other way of putting it. I'm so sorry, so sorry... I thought... I” She was sobbing more than ever, her composure completely gone. All I could hear now was her repeating the words “sorry” over and over again, as if she was the sole reason why I was here.

“Kelley, don't cry like that.” I said, my voice wavering. I honestly didn't know how to comfort her, she looked absolutely lost. “It's not your fault, I know that, and I'm the one who should be sorry. I shouldn't have blamed you, you had nothing to do with it. I'm the one who should be sorry for shouting at you like that. I'm the asshole, not you.” I got out of my chair and gave her an awkward hug, “Look, see? I'm ok, I'm not mad, you got that?” I even gave her a little smile to show her I was fine.

She looked up weakly, her eyes puffy and red, and slowly nodded. All of her usual cheer and glee was gone. Just seeing her like that made my gut wrench in self-loathing. Why did I have to open my big mouth before thinking?

“Kelley, I really didn't mean what I said. It's just... just all the stress, all the build up, and I guess I vented it out on you. I just don't like loosing my... freedom I guess, like the feeling of not being in control. But it's not your fault, you had nothing to do with it, and heck, I wasn't even that close to my family anyway. I hardly had a life back then in the first place, so it's not like I've lost anything.” Kelley just nodded again. “Look, you're probably hungry, I'll treat you to some food, ok? I found this great pub yesterday, best meal on the planet. Think of it as me paying you back for those cream puffs; they were delicious by the way.” Another nod.

Kelley took one last sip from her near full cup and we quickly left the coffee shop – I could almost feel the icy glare from the other people in the establishment. They thought I was scum, and they're right. No, I'm probably worse than what they think.

When we arrived at the Angry Boar Kelley was starting to look more like her usual self, although that ever-present smile was still lacking its usual luster. We didn't exchange so much as a word on our way there, and to be honest I was thankful of that. After what I've said to her I doubt that we'll have the same kind of insightful conversations as before. We entered the place and grabbed a spot near the front of the bar. Eugene was manning the place – he was probably the only person who worked there – and his expression was the same sepulchral gloom. The guy had the personality of a tombstone.

“Hey, can I get two orders of the Galdar Kolmon?” I asked with smile. He looked at me, and then at Kelley, and with a nod and a grunt.

“And a beer for me.” said Kelley with a weak smile.

To my absolute amazement, Eugene actually responded with a “ok” before going to the back to get the food.

“Wow,” I said, a little awkwardly, “I didn't think he could actually talk.”

“He's... very taciturn, not very good at dealing with people. More shy than anything else really, but I've known him for a long time.”

“Oh, did you guys grow up with each other or something?”

“Something like that, yeah.”

There was still a palpable awkwardness between Kelley and I; I could see that she was trying to forgive me for my earlier lash out, but the damage was already done. I wanted this situation to end, but even so, I couldn't just leave without making up for my idiotic mouth.

I tried to steer the conversation in a happier direction, but before I could utter a single word a huge popping sound echoed through the room – almost like the sound of bubbles being released underwater, but only louder – followed by the screams of dozens of people.

I jumped out of my seat, and turned my head towards the windows to where the noise originated. What I saw was absolute mayhem, sort of like a scene from an action movie where aliens were invading the city. There were people in disarray, running from something that I couldn't make out, there was dust was flying everywhere and a general sense of pandemonium. How could so much chaos be created in such a sort amount of time?